By Correspondent
By-laws are rules and regulations that govern activities and operations within local authorities.
Essentially, they are localised laws that apply specifically to council areas.
They give limits and direction to what one can and cannot do within the bounds of the specified area, even within one’s own property.
They are usually crafted by the City Fathers to deal with the specific scenarios of that partucular town or city.
By-laws cover a wide array of issues, such as council operations, property maintenance, construction, traffic, public utilities, and amenities.
Part XVII of the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] (UCA) empowers councils to make these by-laws under the final approval of the Local Government minister.
Bylaws can’t erase or contradict the national laws; they can (usually) only add to them.
When someone breaks a bylaw, the punishment is usually a fine.
In extreme cases, though, bylaw-breakers can face imprisonment.
Below we have attached a document with some of Harare’s by-laws.
